Big storm on Saturn |
Big storm on Saturn |
Dec 15 2010, 12:37 AM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 717 Joined: 3-December 04 From: Boulder, Colorado, USA Member No.: 117 |
The solar system is a happening place this week! I just learned of a major storm in Saturn's northern hemisphere, being monitored by the usual band of talented amateurs. See this site for a list of recent images. Chris Go's site has a particularly nice image.
John |
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Jan 30 2011, 06:03 PM
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#2
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Senior Member Group: Moderator Posts: 2785 Joined: 10-November 06 From: Pasadena, CA Member No.: 1345 |
I think there is a massive anticyclonic upwelling from a lower layer, and the white stuff is just the upper level turbulence and shear between belts and zones are making high clouds that are extending and encircling the planet.
Unless the upwelling is able to self-sustain, it'll eventually run out of steam (probably literally!) and the upper clouds will dissipate. I may be wrong, but I think of this as a hurricane sucking in energy at a lower warmer level (where there is a cyclonic flow we can't observe), then moving it up the central column, where it pushes outwards at the lower cooler level. The whole thing driven by the upper and lower level temperature differential and the transfer of energy via condensation of ....water? ammonia?. That's my guess... -------------------- Some higher resolution images available at my photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31678681@N07/
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